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National market update

Existing-Home Sales Suffer Setback in November, Fall to Slowest Pace Since April 2014

WASHINGTON (December 22, 2015) — Existing-home sales dropped off considerably in November to the slowest pace in 19 months, but some of the decrease was likely because of an apparent rise in closing timeframes that may have pushed some transactions into December, according to the National Association of Realtors®. All four major regions saw sales declines in November.

The Hottest U.S. Housing Markets in December 2015

Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, or Festivus, the holidays seem to really take over the month of December: With long lines everywhere, office parties, decorations, and random elf sightings, everything else practically grinds to a halt. It’s typically not the best time to find a new job, start a diet, or—especially—buy or sell a home.

Existing home median price ()

Housing Starts ()

New home sales ()

National economic indicators

Home ownership

3rd Qtr 2015

+63.7%

3rd Qtr 2014

+64.4%

The homeownership rate in the third quarter 2015 was 63.7 percent, down 0.7 (+/- 0.4) percentage points from the third quarter 2014 rate of 64.4 percent. The homeownership rate in the Northeast was lower than the rate one year ago, while the rates in the Midwest, South and West were not statistically different from the rates in the third quarter 2014.

New home sales

November 2015

+4.3%

October 2015

+6.3%

Sales of new single-family houses in November 2015 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 490,000. This is 4.3 percent (+/- 11.9%)* above the revised October 2015 estimate of 470,000.

Source: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

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Regional market updates

View market statistics for your region.

Click on the links below to view data from two different industry sources. Choose information on local prices & state sales from any of 178 metropolitan housing markets prepared by the National Association of REALTORS® or information on sales & price activity from local area markets in 25 states prepared by Clarus MarketMetrics.

Local Sales & Price Activity

Cheryl Cooper

Home Ownership matters…to people, to communities, and to America. Why? • For every two homes sold, one job is created in the U.S. • Each purchase generates as much as $60,000 in economic activity over time. Read more

Buying is now cheaper than renting in 74 percent of the nation’s largest cities. Low home prices and “rock-bottom” interest rates as well as tax advantages of homeownership are the reasons why it’s now cheaper to BUY a 2-bdrm home than to rent one. Check out this CNN Money article with the details. Read more

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Housing Trends eNewsletter is filled with U.S. Census Bureau key market indicators, consumer videos, blogs, a real estate glossary, mortgage rates and calculators, consumer articles, real estate radio, realtor.com® local community reports and local and national real estate sales and price activity provided by local MLSs and the National Association of REALTORS®.

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